Fulton County Affair
by Gothic984
Summary: The game is on between Gail and Lucas, over the terrible actions committed by Walter Maine.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Something In The Water.

It was a clear cool evening in Trinity South Carolina, there were no clouds in sight and the stars shone bright above in the sky. Billy Peele had finished his shift early, after a long day of listening to Walter Maine's crazy ramblings and now he needed to unwind.

Billy had not wanted Walter Maine admitted to Juniper House, the man was the gossip of the town after what had happened and he did not welcome the unwanted attention the man would inevitably bring; however, Lucas Buck had made a personal request and it was getting harder to to deny him. Billy had honored his friends request, but it did not feel right and he was attempting to push down the unease he had been experiencing all day.

'That would be you're integrity being stripped away. How does it feel?' Gail chided, as she leaned against his truck casually.

Billy inhaled deeply when he saw Gail in her short floral dress and a pair of brown ankle boots, then let out a long sigh. He had been suspected she would turn up due to Walter and was surprised it had taken her so long. 'You're gonna catch your death of cold in that' Billy scolded, ignoring her question and took off his jacket like a gentleman.

Gail allowed Billy to wrap his jacket around her, as her small cardigan was proving useless against the cold and nodded her gratitude. 'It's nice that you want to take care of me, will you be doing the same for Walter? Or will he be locked away in some dingy room away from everybody else, like Matt Crower was?' she asked judgingly.

Billy exhaled in exasperation and shook his head. 'I'm not getting into this with you Gail, you should know better'

Gail took a step closer to Billy, knowing exactly how to challenge his resolve. He was not like Matt, who stuck to his oath as a medical professional no matter what and that would work in her favour. Billy had certain buttons that could be pushed and she suspected Lucas had figured that out, otherwise Walter Maine would still be locked up in county jail rather than being hidden away in Juniper House.

Gail was not stupid, she knew Juniper House was a prime spot for Lucas to discard of the insubordinate residents of Trinity. Her attention had been elsewhere this past year, with investigating her connection to him and the sins of her family; however, she would happily make it her first priority to rip the secrets out of this place one by one, just to punish Lucas for what she suspected he had done to Betty Maine.

Right now she needed to focus on the subject at hand and she was in the middle of a competition with Christie, which she would not lose. She sensed Billy's breath slow at their closeness and knew he was attempting to control his feelings; therefore, she ran her hand up his chest and licked her lips seductively. 'I like this colour on you, dark green really brings out your eyes' she smiled sweetly.

Billy felt something stir in his stomach and tried to push down his arousal. He had been down this road with Gail before and the repercussions would be much more sever, now that he was friends with her sociopath lover. 'This isn't right...' he started, then stopped when Gail laughed.

'All I'm doing is commenting on your shirt Doctor, is that a crime?' she mocked.

Billy took hold of her wrists and gently pulled her hands off his chest. 'The Sheriff might see it that way' he advised, then gently moved her away from his car door.

Gail watched as Billy unlocked his car and got into the drivers seat. She would not be beaten so easily; therefore, she walked to the front passenger side and got in. 'Do you ever wonder why Selena is pulling away from you?' she asked, changing her tactics.

Billy turned on the engine, then closed his eyes in frustration. 'I don't wanna do this Gail'

'Because you're boring...' she continued, disregarding his comment. '...What happened to you? We used to go out all the time and have fun. Now that you've sold your soul to Lucas Buck, it appears you've gone soft'

Billy turned towards Gail and leaned in close, trying to ignore her sweet scent. 'You're the one that's succumb to the good ol' southern family way with that man Gail' he mocked in his best southern drawl.

'Yes I am, I'm also the one out with your girlfriend most nights as she can't handle her mundane existence of late...If you only knew the things we got up to' she laughed and watched as his friendly demeanor turned cold.

Billy had known Selena was pulling away and he was felt powerless to stop it; therefore, this was a sore subject for him. 'Why are you bothering me Gail? Can't you just leave me alone?' he snapped.

'I could've left you alone, but now you have Walter. You can't roll over for the Sheriff and expect Reporter's not to catch on' Gail shrugged.

'I'm not telling you anything about Walter' he said sternly.

Gail laughed and squeezed his knee. 'Good, it makes this game all the more challenging...' she laughed, '...Now where are we going?'

'We?' Billy asked bemused.

'Don't tell me you're going to pass up on the opportunity to go out like we used to? Have you really changed that much?' she mocked, sensing she could bend him to her will within a few hours.

Billy thought for a moment, then nodded. 'Alright, I know the perfect place' he smiled and drove out of the Juniper House parking lot.

* * *

Lucas sat with Ben and Rita in the Pool Hall, drinking a bottle of beer. He was attempting to loosen up his Deputy, as he had become obsessed with locking himself away at home after work every day; however, Lucas' plan had backfired when Ben invited Rita without telling him.

Now, he had no problem with the fiery red head opposite him and it was nice that Ben had actually found someone who made him smile; however, this was supposed to be a boy's night to re-introduce Ben to land of the living and Lucas did not appreciate the intrusion.

'How's the baby?' Rita asked Lucas, attempting to ease the tension at the table.

Lucas took a long sip of his beer, then shrugged. 'Luke's comin' along fine, it's his mother that's provin' difficult'

Rita laughed and took a sip of her diet coke, she had heard from Ben that Gail had been at the station every day since Walter Maine had been brought in. It appeared she had a bee in her bonnet and she knew Gail would not rest until she got what she needed. 'She's just doin' her job, I'm sure you can understand that'

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'Sometimes I wish she wasn't so good at it...Enough about that, have we got any bells ringin' for you two any time soon?' he asked, getting bored of the mundane conversation and wanting to spice it up a little.

Rita ignored Ben's uncomfortable look and smiled sweetly, unfazed by the comment. 'I don't know Sheriff, have we got any weddin' bells ringin' for you?' she retorted.

Ben started to choke on his beer and watched Lucas cautiously; however, before there was any retaliation, Lucas got up abruptly and headed out of the Pool Hall.

'I don't know how you work for him' Rita said disapprovingly.

'We've gone over this before, just drop it please' Ben pleaded and shook his head in irritation.

Lucas stood in front of the Pool Hall after the sudden urge to come outside had hit him, then waited patiently on the sidewalk. When Billy's truck pulled up with Gail in the front passenger seat, he opened the door and offered his hand to assist her in getting out. 'Well this is a surprise' he smiled and placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

Gail turned towards Billy and shook her head. 'You know the perfect place huh?' she asked irritated, the rolled her eyes at his apologetic glance.

Billy was not stupid and knew Gail would be pulling out all the stops to persuade him to talk about Walter; therefore, he had decided the safest option was to bring her to Lucas and let them hash it out between themselves. 'I need a drink, is Ben inside?' he asked.

Lucas could not take his eyes off Gail and the short dress she was wearing, so he just nodded in answer to Billy's question.

'Wait...you're seriously going to abandon me with all the prying eyes in there?' she asked Billy in disbelief.

Billy knew Gail had been avoiding being seen with Lucas in public; however, he suspected she would not have shown him much consideration when attempting to get information out of him and decided she deserved a lesson. 'Well, boring ol' me hasn't got the brain span to process such a thing...Sorry' he said sarcastically, then entered the Pool Hall to find Ben.

Lucas watched amused as Billy left them alone, then stroked her hand tenderly. 'I guess that backfired...Shall we?' he asked, signalling towards the entrance.

Gail shook her head in exasperation, then put on her best fake smile to greet all the prying eyes in the Pool Hall.

* * *

Merlyn Temple sat in Jimmy's bar with Christie and Selena, while both woman shared a bottle of rose. She had been trying to help Christie as she could; therefore, when her temporary mentor had found out Walter Maine had been moved to Juniper House, Merlyn informed her that Selena was the current Head Doctors girlfriend and Christie decided she wanted to officially meet her.

Merlyn had followed Gail's instructions and had been taking advantage of Christie's presence here. Christie had been very forthcoming and showed her how to organise her findings, as well as allowing her to brainstorm with her to find the best way to progress with the Walter Maine investigation. Merlyn was enjoying herself and could see why Gail got on with Christie so well, both woman were very driven to succeed and would not accept failure.

Christie laughed with Selena about how irritating Gail could be and glanced at Merlyn, to ensure she was taking note. 'Yeah, Gail can be a handful...imagine having to work with her on a daily basis!'

Selena laughed and shook her head, this woman was much more likable than her adversary and she found herself enjoying her company. 'I don't think I'd cope..I'd probably have smothered her by the end of the first day' she smiled and took a sip of her wine.

'She does provoke that reaction in people, well everyone but that lovely Doctor Billy...the last time I was here, we had a great time together. How is he?' she asked sweetly.

Selena glanced at Christie suspiciously, then refilled their glasses. 'I wasn't aware you'd met Billy, what did you all get up to last time you were here?' she asked curiously.

'I'm going to be totally honest with you and don't tell on us, but we got absolutely hammered and smoked a joint' she whispered, then giggled under her breath.

Selena sat back in her chair and laughed, that had certainly not been the answer she had expected. 'Billy? As in my Billy Peele? There's no way' she said in disbelief.

'Cross my heart...' Christie smiled, '...We even had to get the Sheriff to pick us up and pretend to be sober, it was the most fun I've had in years'

Selena could not believe Lucas picked them up and did not arrest Billy. 'Wow, who'd have known my straight shooting Billy would get caught up in that...How did you get past the Sheriff?'

'Gail I suspect' Christie shrugged and took a large sip of her drink. Her friends relationship was still a sore subject for her and she hated that she did not see the signs last year.

'That sounds about right...' Selena laughed and shook her head, '...Well these days Billy is all about work, so I doubt you'll have chance to see that side of him again'

Christie sensed her opening and feigned disappointment. 'That's a shame, we might be able to convince him round though...I hear he's going to have a lot on his plate now with that Walter guy being sent to Juniper'

Selena nodded and downed the remainder of the liquid in her glass. 'Yeah, he told me about that earlier...Can you believe men? They swear they'll never conform to a certain way, then they're goaded into it with the same southern charm they swore they hated'

Merlyn sensed it was her time and nodded in agreement. 'I know right? Matt used to hate Lucas, but now all the man has to do is whisper in his ear with that charmin' southern drawl and he's eatin' out of his hands' she lied.

Selena laughed and pointed at Merlyn. 'That's exactly right! Lucas whispers in their ear and has them all falling all over themselves. You'd think Billy would steer clear of that Walter guy, but no...one little suggestion from our sociopath Sheriff and he's housing the man. I just don't get it' she sighed.

Selena's confusion over Billy's behaviour was ironic, considering how easily she fell in line for Lucas; however, Merlyn just glanced at Christie and smiled. Gail had taught her that a little white lie did not hurt anyone and she noted that Lucas had convinced Billy to allow Walter Maine to be housed at Juniper House.

'Men are crazy, but we can't live without them right?' Christie smiled.

Selena nodded and felt a sudden urge to find Billy. If he could have fun with a stranger, then there was no excuse for his boring behaviour of late. 'Come on, I've got a pretty good idea where my other half is right now...I say we go crash the party' she suggested, then signaled for her new companions to follow her.

* * *

Lucas sat next to Gail with his hand on her knee, watching her closely. He knew she had been up to something with Billy and counted himself lucky that he had turned the man over to his side, otherwise she may have gotten her way.

Things had been intense since the incident at the river and he had thought Gail would fall in line after that display; however, she had become more stubborn than ever and was determined to prove he was the cause of the Maine tragedy.

Gail inhaled deeply and attempted to push down her irritation at Lucas' possessiveness. His hand always had to be on her in some way, as a reminder of his control and she was beginning to resent his constant for inserting his dominance. To others, it would appear as a sign of affection; however, she knew what it really was and he had been showing his true colours more often since the incident.

'You're quiet Darlin', care to share your thoughts with the group?' Lucas asked, amused at her discomfort.

'We're all damaged' Gail answered sarcastically, then stood up and headed towards the pool table reserved for them.

Lucas could sense the tension around the table and watched as Billy got up to follow Gail. Lucas did not like them being in such close proximity; therefore, he stood up to join them, leaving Ben with Rita.

Lucas spotted them arguing quietly; however, they went silent as he reached to pool table. 'Is there a problem sweetheart?' he asked and placed his arm over her shoulders possessively.

'No problem for me, I just want to play some pool...' she shrugged, then took a pool cue and stared at the balls confused. '...Are you both just going to stand there, or is someone going to show me what to do?'

Billy took a step forward and instinctively went to move Gail into the proper position; however, he thought better when he saw the warning look in Lucas' eyes and took a step back.

Lucas ran his hand down Gail's back softly, ignoring the watchful eyes of people around them and smiled when she stiffened. He pulled her slightly back into him, then pushed her down gently and leaned over her. 'I could get used to this' he whispered in her ear and tensed when she pushed her behind against him.

Gail let out a slow breath and allowed Lucas to take control, she had known he would not be able to stop himself from inserting his dominance in front of Billy, especially when she was wearing such a short dress and she had come up with a plan. 'It's a shame you can't get used to playing nice with others' she whispered sarcastically, then allowed him to guide her hand on the cue to break the balls on the table.

Lucas moved his hands to her stomach and held her to him tight, while she took a few practice shots and missed all the pockets. Gail was the most driven woman he knew; however, she did not appear to take to this game and he did not look forward to her inevitable defeat.

Billy watched the display and shook his head in disgust. It was obvious all eyes were on them and he did not appreciate Gail being used to increase Lucas' popularity, even if they were no longer friends. 'My turn' he sighed, when she did not pot a single ball and picked up his pool cue.

Gail stood up straight and leaned her head to the side to brush her nose against Lucas' teasingly, then turned her attention towards Billy. 'Not so fast, what's say we make this interesting?' she asked.

'Interesting how? Like a wager?' Billy laughed.

Gail smiled at his reaction and stood her ground. 'What, are you scared of being beaten by a woman?' she asked sarcastically.

'You didn't pot a single ball love' Lucas tried to warn and stroked her back affectionately.

Gail glanced at Lucas in mock disbelief. 'Nice to know you have my six lover'

Lucas looked from Billy to Gail and shook his head. 'I'll back you up with whatever you need Darlin', but I'd rather you consider your lack of experience here' he tried to reason.

'$50' Billy said, when he figured out it was not Gail's money on the line.

'$500' Gail countered as she leaned against the pool table, feigning innocence.

Lucas stared in disbelief at them both, then laughed. 'You might be aimin' a little high there love'

'I've always routed for the underdog' she smiled, then glanced at Billy daringly.

Billy looked towards Lucas, who just shrugged, then shook his head. He did not have $500 to spare; however, it was evident that Gail did not stand a chance and although he did not want to embarrass her, this offer was too good to refuse. 'Fine, I'm in' he agreed, then signaled for her to break again when Lucas racked the balls.

Gail had sensed Christie enter the Pool Hall a few minutes early and turned towards the bar to signal her friend to join them.

When Christie spotted Gail, she picked up her drink and approached the group. As she got closer she shook her head knowingly and let out a small laugh.

Merlyn smiled when she saw Gail, then turned to Christie confused when she heard her laugh. 'What?' she asked curiously.

Christie nodded towards Gail and leaned in close to Merlyn. 'Watch and learn' she whispered.

Gail sensed her friend was close and shrugged off Lucas when he tried to assist her. She glanced behind her at Merlyn and shot her a cunning wink, then lined up her shot and hit the ball at just the right angle to send it crashing down the table strategically. Gail stood tall as the balls rolled around the table and smiled when 4 went into different pockets.

Lucas watched amused as the woman he believed had no chance of potting 1 ball potted 4 effortlessly, then laughed when he heard Billy curse under his breath.

'I guess it's still my turn' Gail mocked sweetly and began to pace the table, to evaluate her best course of action.

Billy watched in disgust as Gail moved positions and successfully potted the balls one after another. When she finally missed the pocket, it was too late for him to catch up and he begrudgingly took his shots.

Gail stood by Christie while she waited for the inevitable and took a large sip of her friends wine. She smiled smugly as Christie shook her head in mock disapproval and they both laughed when Billy cursed loudly, as he missed his shot.

Christie patted her friend on the back and watched as she took up the winning position. Had she have been here sooner, she may have warned Billy about Gail's extraordinary talents when it came to pool and cards; however, it was too late now and she assumed Gail had goaded him into some obscene bet, as her friend never usually displayed her talents so openly unless it benefited her greatly.

Gail potted the remaining ball, then went back to her position next to Lucas and allowed him to place his arm around her.

'I think you've been hidin' things from me Darlin'' he whispered sarcastically.

'What do you care? You're not $500 out of pocket' she smiled, then nipped at his lips teasingly before approaching Billy.

'You tricked me' Billy said in annoyance and ran his fingers through his hair.

'Isn't that what you did by bringing me here?...' she asked, then placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. '...Listen, calm yourself. I don't want the $500'

Although that was a blessing as Billy did not have the money, he did not trust her motives. 'Why would you do that for me?' he asked suspiciously.

'Because regardless of past issued, you're my friend and you're going to let me in to see Walter' she whispered in his ear, then patted him on the back and walked away before he had a chance to respond.

Lucas watched the exchange, then approached Billy when Gail rejoined Christie. 'Care to share the secret?' he asked.

Billy shook his head and let out a long sigh. 'We need a drink' he stated and signaled for Lucas to follow him to the bar.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Lucas awoke the following morning to a throbbing head. He remembered returning home with Gail after they had drank an inordinate amount of alcohol with their friends and being scolded by his old friend Abe upon their return; however, his recollection of events after that was hazy. When he rolled over and saw Gail asleep peacefully beside him, he knew things could not have been that bad and wrapped his arms around her.

It appeared Abe must have taken care of Luke last night, as the baby was not in the room with them now and he knew his friend had formed a strong bond with his son. This gave Lucas the opportunity to ponder over the situation he was currently in with Gail and he let out a long relaxed breath.

Of course Lucas was part of the reason that Walter Maine performed the fatal actions against his wife Betty, he had provided just enough jealousy in the man to prompt him to act accordingly; however, he would not take full responsibility for someone else's actions. It was not his fault people were so easily led, or that a suggestion here or there went a long way with certain residents in Trinity. Had Walter have kept to the terms of their deal and just paid up when required, none of this would have happened and Lucas did not see this as his fault, regardless of what Gail believed.

Gail felt Lucas' arms around her and woke up feeling smothered, with a dull ache in her head. She sensed Luke was not in the room with them; therefore, she shrugged off Lucas' arms and lay on her back, contemplating her next move.

She could not deny that at times Lucas made her skin crawl, her old distrust of him had started to resurface and she was struggling with her moral code on a daily basis. Part of her wanted to be rid of him once and for all, he had tainted her purity and she should never have allowed him in; however, a bigger part of her craved his darkness and that concerned her greatly.

Gail had thrown herself deep into the Walter Maine story and had been attempting to find something concrete against Lucas, to enable her to break his hold on her; however, so far he had covered his tracks well and the situation was beginning to frustrate her.

Lucas watched his love in silence, sensing she was using this quiet time to reflect as he was and choosing to allow her a moment with her thoughts. When he sensed her frustration, he instinctively moved beneath the sheets between her legs and gently pushed up her short silk nightdress. He smiled when she did not provide him with any resistance and licked her sweet spot teasingly. He loved taking her at this time in the day when everything was so simple.

Gail let out a low moan as his tongue teased her and just relaxed into the act, allowing her desire to take hold. She knew better than to resist and she had already made peace with the fact that she was damned; therefore, she might as well reap the benefits of her Adonis. When her desire became too strong, she reached down and pulled him up to her. She stared deep into his knowing eyes and pulled him close for a passionate kiss.

Lucas knew there was conflict within her and sensed her dark craving for him had won the battle a long time ago. It gave him a feeling of triumph knowing that no matter how much she disapproved of his actions, she was his and her good side could not unravel what they had become. The feeling of true desire surged through him and without hesitation, he thrust his hard manhood deep inside of her.

Gail hated his confidence; however, her body always betrayed her and she loved the feeling of him inside of her. She scraped her long nails down his back and smiled when he could not hold in his loud moans. She allowed him to take her slow, not wanting to aggravate the increasing pain in her head and kissed him passionately. She tangled her fingers in his hair and nipped at his ear, as he buried his head into her neck.

Lucas savoured the taste of her tongue in his mouth, before sucking and kissing her neck. He kept his thrusts slow and steady, wanting to enjoy every moment of their uncomplicated closeness before the day fully started and the game began again. Her distrust and pursuit of the truth kept him on his toes, he welcomed the challenge she imposed; however, he loved her stripped down like this and would not rush to allow her to get her guard up.

His slow relentless thrusts were becoming unbearable, the intense bursts of pleasure were flowing through her and she was finding it hard to control her volume. When she heard his hoarse breath and his movements began to quicken, she felt her climax building and knew he was in sync with her. She dug her nails into his back and felt them pierce his skin, then began to repeat his name over and over as the intense pleasure surged through her.

Lucas embraced the pain as her nails pierced his skin, then bit her shoulder hard and drew blood in retaliation. Their sexual encounters had started to become rough again of late, it always filled him with pride when he left a mark on her and he suspected it turned her on when she saw the claw marks she left on him. The thought of her displaying a scar from their intimate activities turned him on even more and he increased his pace, as his orgasm started to build. He sensed she was close, so began to pound in and out of her. He exploded within her when he heard her call his name, then brought his lips down on hers and kissed her forcefully.

Gail could barely breath with the force of his lips on hers; however, she embraced the kiss and held him tight to her. When he finally released her lips, she took a deep breath and welcomed the cool air into her lungs. She allowed him to remain inside of her while she relaxed into the pillow, then smiled when he collapsed onto her and placed his head on her chest.

She allowed herself to fully relax for a short while, then stroked his cheek and sighed. 'I hope you've covered your tracks well' she warned. Part of her actually wanted her suspicions to be proven wrong.

Lucas did not open his eyes and just smiled. 'Let the game recommence' he mocked and pulling out of her when she pushed him off of her, then watched as she grabbed her robe and headed for the shower.

He was aware that Billy was going to honour his bet with Gail, after he had gotten beaten last night; however, he was confident Billy-boy could stall her, to allow him time to ensure all his bases were covered.

* * *

Caleb casually peddled to school on his bike, after figuring that Lucas and Gail were too indisposed to drive him. He hated Wednesdays at the best of times; however, today seemed worse somehow, after coming to the realisation that no-one in his family cared what he got up to these days.

Gail and Merlyn were busy with a story, Lucas was busy attempting to distract Gail from the story and he was left being babysat by Abe, who appeared more interested in the baby. Caleb was beginning to get frustrated with his life and welcomed the bicycle ride in the cool morning air, to clear his head. It was nice having the time to himself to put things into perspective, without outside influences and he was in no rush to get to class, especially as Miss Coombs was overly concerned with him after his cousin's warnings.

Caleb turned the corner and spotted Poppy Bowen walking further up the street, he would recognise that fiery red hair anywhere and subconsciously started peddling faster to catch up to her. Caleb had not seen Poppy for some time, as his sister did not reside with him and she had chosen to spend most of her free time with Doctor Matt. Poppy had been really nice to him previously and a warm feeling came over him when he closed the distance between them.

Poppy was rushing to catch the bus, to ensure she was not late for work. She was grateful for the opportunity to be trusted to open the Antique Store on her own and wanted to ensure Abraham did not regret employing her, although it was Gail who had convinced him to take her on.

Poppy had been finding it difficult to adjust to life after she had graduated high school, as she had ended up with a lot of spare time on her hands. The more alone time she had, the more she would think about her dead mother and the sins of her father. T J had attempted to distract her by taking her to nice places and dining out; however, she had spotted the way he had started looking at her and was not sure she had wanted that kind of attention from him. It had been a godsend when Gail Emory had sought her out and given her a job opportunity, she did not know what would have happened if she had not came along.

Poppy liked Gail, she spoke to her as though she was an adult and gave her a sense of purpose. Gail had explained to her that this job was just a way to get her out into the world and informed her to steer clear of the kind attention T J was attempting to provide, unless she wanted her life to be over before it started. Poppy was aware of the way boys looked at her and she understood fully what Gail was trying to warn her away from. She had no desire to be knocked up at the age of 17 and dependent on a boy. Her Momma had not raised her that way and she sure as hell would not let her down.

The sound of a bicycle racing towards her took her out of her thoughts and she smiled when she turned around to see Caleb Temple. 'Well hey there stranger! What brings you to this neck of the woods?'

Caleb blushed at her pretty smile and climbed off his bicycle. 'I was just ridin' and thinkin'...you looked like you were in a rush, where you headin'?' he asked, trying to act like he was not so taken by her beauty.

Poppy's smiled grew wider at the boys curiosity, she really liked Caleb and felt that he was one of the few people who understood what she was going through in life. 'I'm headin' to work, gotta be sure to be on time...' she shrugged, '...You off to school?'

Caleb sighed and nodded. 'I guess I am...unless you wanna hop on and I'll ride you to work?' he suggested nervously.

Poppy narrowed her eyes at him and laughed, then bit her lip in an attempt to control herself when she realised he was serious. 'You want me to get on that thing?' she asked in disbelief.

'Why not? I've rode Merl...' he started and corrected himself, '...M, I've rode M around on it before'

Poppy had been friends with M at one point and knew how close she was to Caleb. The pair had been inseparable at one time and Poppy did not doubt he was telling the truth. 'Do you even know how far it is? The Antique Store is close to town'

Caleb thought for a moment, then smiled cunningly. 'I got an idea, trust me' he said and signaled for her to get on the bike.

Poppy shook her head in mock exasperation, then climbed on the bike. 'Alright Caleb Temple, if you drop me there'll be hell to pay' she laughed and held on tight as Caleb began peddling with her on the back.

* * *

Gail sat on her porch step with Matt and smiled as he stared suspiciously at Gideon, who was sat protectively in front of Luke's pram. Gideon followed her wherever she went with Luke, her trusted companion was very protective of her new born baby and it amused her that Matt was trying to figure out how the dog managed to be there all the time.

'I just don't get where he came from. He showed up when I was first let out of Juniper and now he appears everywhere you go, doesn't that strike you as odd?' Matt asked, watching the dog carefully.

'If Gideon was the only odd thing around me, my life would be perfect' Gail laughed.

Matt turned his attention to his friend and noticed the dark circles under her eyes, which she had failed to cover with makeup. 'That bad huh? You want to share what's keeping you up at night? Apart from your sociopathic lover and your new born that is' he asked and linked his arm around hers.

Gail shrugged, then leaned her head on his shoulder. She had found herself getting closer to Matt these days, he had accepted her decision to be with Lucas and he remained the one constant in her life that she could count on, apart from Gideon. 'This Walter Maine thing is driving me crazy...I mean who just kills their wife like that? Not to mention let's their son drown in the process' she spat out, then let out a long sigh.

'A very unstable individual' Matt answered and shook his head at the thought of the events that had transpired. He also had a hard time believing a man could just snap like that and he knew first hand what influences in this town could provoke such a reaction.

'Why don't you just come out and say it?' Gail asked, reading his mind.

Matt pondered for a moment, then looked down at her head resting on his shoulder. She clearly had her suspicions, he knew she was not stupid and she was not naive enough to deny the obvious; however, he understood she was in a tough predicament and did not want to make things harder for her. 'All I'm thinking is that it would take a lot of suggestion to drive a man to act in such a way, especially with his children around'

Gail lifted up her head and stared at Luke, who was asleep peacefully in his pram. 'The question is, at what point does suggestion turn to encouragement? and if one man was to encourage another man to do such a thing, would that be a crime?' she pondered.

'It would if it was a respected law official using his power to manipulate others' Matt answered honestly.

Gail turned towards Matt and sighed, he was not wrong and she admired his honesty regardless of whether she liked the answer. 'Do you think I'd cover for him?' she asked, curious of her friends opinion of her.

Matt thought for a moment, then smiled. 'I think you're honest and if you found any hard evidence against him, you'd do the right thing'

Gail let out a long sigh, then forced a smile. It was nice to know someone had faith in her goodness, as she was beginning to doubt what was right these days. 'Well let's hope our suspicions are unfounded and there's no evidence to find' she laughed and squeezed his knee affectionately.

Matt was about to comment, when he heard a bicycle break and looked towards the street to see Caleb helping Poppy Bowen off his bike. 'What the hell?' he asked confused.

Gail following Matt's confused stare, then stood up and approached her cousin. 'Shouldn't you be in school?' she asked disapprovingly.

'Shouldn't you have driven me?' he replied rudely.

Gail took a deep breath and folded her arms over her chest, she had noticed a slight change in her cousins attitude of late and she did not appreciate it being aimed at her. 'I'm not your Mother Caleb and I'm certainly not the only adult you live with' she scolded.

Caleb stood his ground for a moment, after thinking his comment would have guilted her out of being mad at him and then relaxed. 'Miss Coombs is weird these days and I wanted a break...' he answered honestly, '...besides, I ran into Poppy and was gonna ride her to work. I couldn't leave her on her own, it's not gentleman like'

Gail glanced at Matt when he came to stand beside her and he just smiled. Gail looked at Poppy, who stood nervously next to Caleb and shook her head in irritation. 'You know Lucas has already left to take Abe to the Store right?' she asked Caleb.

'I know they'll end up stoppin' off at the diner and gab away for ages before heading to work...I also know your Mustang's faster than his Crown Vic' Caleb smiled cunningly, knowing how much his cousin loves her car.

Gail rolled her eyes, then laughed at the compliment. 'Alright, I'll drop you both off at where you're supposed to be and I expect you to stay in school all day Caleb' she warned, then turned away and headed to Luke.

Caleb shot Poppy a knowing wink, before leading her to Gail's car. He had known he could convince Gail to help and now he had an excuse to talk more to Poppy.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Lucas sat in Billy's office, leaning back in his chair with his feet up on his desk. He had been here for close to an hour after he had dropped Abe off at work, when they had finished breakfast at his favourite diner. He had decided to come here, expecting his love's arrival and wanted to ensure that Billy did not slip up by subconsciously providing her with some information that would assist her investigation against him.

Billy was harmless and Lucas had long since convinced him to his side. He did not doubt the mans loyalty; however, Gail had ways of getting a person to give up things they were guarding closely and Lucas knew she had Billy sussed. He was not stupid, he sensed how Billy really felt about her no matter how hard he tried to hide it and although Gail would never reciprocate those feelings, she would use them to her advantage and Lucas had no intention of giving her the opportunity to be alone with the man.

Billy entered his office with two cups of coffee and gritted his teeth in irritation when he saw Lucas' feet on his desk. The man had no respect for another persons position and usually this would prompt him to insert his own dominance; however, he had come to realise that Lucas did not act this way on purpose with him these days, it was just who he was.

Lucas sensed Billy's irritation and lay back comfortably in the chair. 'Am I oversteppin'? he asked amused.

'You're so far past overstepping I don't even know where to begin' Billy laughed and set the drinks down.

Lucas smiled, took his feet off the desk and picked up the coffee. He had grown to like Billy after the man stopped resisting his authority and he actually did not mind that he was with Selena, as could be fully aware of what she was up to. 'So, all quiet on the Reporter front?' he asked, as he took a sip of his drink.

Billy perched himself on the edge of his desk and shrugged. 'So far, so good...I don't trust her lack of presence though, she's clearly up to something'

'You're preachin' to the choir friend' Lucas laughed and shook his head, then turned towards the door when there came a quiet knock.

'I'm sorry to interrupt...' the pretty young Receptionist blushed under Lucas' gaze, '...but there's a Reporter here to see you and she won't take no for an answer'

'Speak of the Devil' Billy said, rolling his eyes at Lucas and signaled for his Receptionist to let their visitor in.

'If that young girl was my Receptionist, I'd find it hard to keep my concentration on work' Lucas joked.

'Don't you start, if Selena found out about her she'd have my hide' Billy sighed and waited for Gail to enter. When Christie entered the room with M, Billy turned towards Lucas in shock.

'Well what do we have here?' Lucas asked curiously and shot Merlyn a wicked grin.

Merlyn shook her head and stood tall, not allowing Lucas to provoke her. She was here to learn from Christie and she would not be distracted by his presence.

Christie looked at Lucas with disdain, then turned her attention to Billy. She did not trust the Sheriff and found it curious that he would be here in the middle of the day. 'Doctor Peele, how nice of you to agree to meet with me...I thought your Receptionist was going to have a fit there for a moment' she smiled sweetly, despite the pressure she had put on the poor young Receptionist.

Billy forced a smile and signaled for Christie to take a seat in front of his desk. 'How could I turn down the opportunity to converse with you, it seems a shame that we didn't have much chance to talk last night'

Christie laughed and reached into her bag for her tape recorder, then placed it on the desk. 'I believe my friend and your girlfriend got in the way of that, how is Selena feeling today?' she asked, genuinely concerned with the woman's state after supplying her with drinks all night.

'She's a little worse for wear, but it's nothing she can't handle...I expected to see your friend here today, not you' Billy said, trying to establish whether Christie knew anything about Gail's whereabouts.

Christie shook her head knowingly and put on her best smile. 'Gail has a mind of her own, her current activities are anyone's guess. I'm glad I've caught you before she has, I was hoping you'd answer some questions for me'

Lucas watched the exchange carefully, on the surface Christie appeared to be ignoring him; however, he sensed her distrust of him and her efforts to hide her discomfort amused him. 'The good Doctor here is too busy for an inquisition, why don't you direct your attention this way...I have no issues answering your questions, in fact it would be a pleasure'

Merlyn inhaled deeply and rolled her eyes, as the charm radiated off of him. She knew Christie had been avoiding Lucas for this precise reason, she did not trust him or his charming facade; however, Merlyn was not convinced Christie could withstand it, as he had ran her out of town previously. 'Your efforts aren't required Sheriff...' Merlyn said sweetly, '...What we require is a statement from the Head Doctor of Juniper House, confirmin' why a murderer was moved to this facility'

Christie glanced at M and let out a relieved breath, she was glad to have the girl with her as she appeared to be immune to the Sheriff's charm. 'She's right, Walter Maine was moved from a secure jail to this establishment without any statement to indicate why...As far as I can tell, there's been no trial so I'm curious as to why a psychiatric treatment has been agreed' Christie added and smiled at Billy's obvious discomfort.

'Look Walter Maine...' Billy started, then leaned back in his chair when Lucas began laughing.

'You over entitled Reporters have it in your head that you deserve some type of explanation into the happenings in my town and that couldn't be farther from the truth. This is a Fulton County affair Darlin'..' Lucas said sternly and took a few steps towards Christie. '...If you want answers, I dare you to come to me...Billy-boy ain't got nothin' to do with this'

Christie felt his intense gaze on her and moved back in her seat. She could feel the unease rise within her and felt the urge to run far away from this man.

'Is that what you tell Gail?...' Merlyn interjected confidently, '...From what I can tell, she doesn't adhere to your rules'

Lucas turned his attention towards Merlyn and smiled devilishly. 'Gail is a whole different ball game Missy...' he mocked, '...We're currently engaged in a challenge of our own and you'd do well to keep out of it'

Merlyn felt a wave of clarity come over her and laughed. 'Well it appears her horse is progressing faster than your's...' she smiled knowingly, '...You might wanna pay your Deputy a visit before it's too late'

Lucas narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment, then felt a shadow of threat flow through him. He stood for a moment longer, wanting to strike Merlyn down; however, he took a deep breath, pushed down his urges and abruptly left the office. He needed to reserve all his strength to deal with Gail.

* * *

Gail sat on the couch in Ben's small living room rocking Luke gently in her arms, as Rita breastfed Izzy. She had ran into Ben at their favourite Coffee Shop and he advised her that Lucas was busy out of the office today. She guessed Lucas was expecting her to go guns blazing to Juniper House; therefore, she had chosen a different path.

Gail was happy to allow Lucas to waste his time in Juniper House, she knew Walter was not going anywhere and Billy would not allow anyone else to see him; therefore, her exclusive was still protected. She had chosen to take advantage of her lover being distracted and revisit an old interest of hers.

'So let me get this straight, you're lookin' into your family history and you think I'll be able to help you with that?' Rita asked confused.

Gail put on her best smile and regarded her friend warmly. 'I feel like I've been neglecting my duty with Caleb, since Luke came along. To ensure I give him the best care I can offer, I need to understand a little more about his past and our family history' Gail explained slowly, as if talking to a child.

Rita nodded and continued to feed her child, she was happy that Gail had stopped by to see her and she did not want to give her any reason to leave suddenly. 'I really don't know what assistance I can offer you Gail, but I'll do what I can'

Gail smiled appreciatively and went straight in, deciding not to beat around the bush. 'You were a nurse in the Hospital when Caleb's Mother died. Do you remember how she was at that time?' she asked and watched Rita's pleasant features turn to concern.

'Oh wow, that was such a long time ago Gail. I wouldn't even know where to start...'

'Start at the beginning...' Gail interrupted, not allowing Rita to pull away. '...You were just starting out when Judith was pregnant. Weren't you shadowing Doctor Nerome at her checkups?'

Rita stared at Gail nervously, she did not know how Gail had found that information out and she did not want to get involved in whatever Gail was up to.

'All I'm trying to do is gain an insight into my family. If I can understand what Caleb went through as baby and with Gage, I can help him move on with his life...You want to help me do that don't you?' Gail asked sweetly.

Rita let out a long sigh and shook her head. 'Of course I do...Yes I was shadowing Doctor Nerome, but there's not much I can tell you Gail'

'How was Judith? Did she go on her own or was there anyone else with her, like Gage or Merlyn Ann?'

'Gage was never there' Rita answered bluntly, not wanting think back to that time.

'So it was just Merlyn? Interesting' Gail pondered to herself.

Rita felt a wave of unease come over her and she stroked her baby girl for comfort. 'I don't know what good this is gonna do you Gail' she tried to reason.

'What was Merlyn like?' Gail asked curiously, ignoring Rita's comment.

'The girl was a lot of work alright!...' Rita snapped, '...She'd cling to her Momma somethin' terrible and if Judith ordered her away, she'd throw a fit. One time we had to drag the child out the room kickin' and screamin', while the Doctor examined Judith'

The stories Gail had heard from people indicated Merlyn had been too stupid to learn how to speak like a normal child and she had behavioural issues; however, Gail knew the signs of a traumatized child better than most. What Rita was describing was not just normal behavioural issues of a spoilt child and it amazed her that trained medical professionals had not picked up on the clear signs of trauma, unless someone had gone out of their way to cover it up.

Rita waited a moment for Gail to respond, then covered herself up and began winding Lucy. 'Ain't it best to leave the past in the past?' she asked, willing her friend to see sense. It was obvious that there was a reason no-one ever talked about the goings on with that child and Rita did not want to get in the middle of something like this.

Gail shook her head, then let out a loud sigh. 'If it was Lucy in Merlyn's place, would you just leave the past in the past?'

Rita bit her lip then took a deep breath, if it was her child she would do whatever it took to help her. It had always struck her as strange that Judith just closed the child off to the world and allowed Doctors to wash their hands of the matter. That poor child never stood a chance. 'What do you want from me Gail? The girl is dead and whatever wrongs that had been done to her back then can't be fixed'

Gail could tell she had hit a nerve and smiled. 'It's not about correcting the past Rita, it's about ensuring it doesn't repeat itself...How many Merlyn's are out there? Children with no place to turn to get help and parent's who turn a blind eye, just because they're scared of upsetting someone. This town is full of secrets and abuse of power, but no one speaks up. It's a vicious cycle and while everyone buries their heads in the sand, this town is damned to repeat the past over and over again'

'Open your eyes Gail. You can't talk about stoppin' the abuse of power, when you're layin' with it' Rita laughed in disbelief of her friends apparent naivety.

Gail sensed Rita's doubt of her awareness and felt her darkness flow through her. She stood up carefully with Luke and approached the woman, staring deep into her eyes. 'You have no idea what I know, or what I'm doing...I'm not naive and I don't walk around with rose tinted glasses like the rest of you. Hell, why do you think I'm coming to you rather than a Doctor at the Hospital? I know how far that reach stretches and I know you do too...You're slightly different than the rest of the lemmings around here, I'll give you that but you're just as guilty of failing that child like the rest of them'

'What was I supposed to do? I was just one Nurse' Rita asked defensively.

Gail sighed and shook her head. 'And I'm just one Reporter. When I first returned to Trinity, did you see me letting up? If I'd have been around back then, I wouldn't have let it stand regardless of what happened to me...She was a child and something clearly happened, whether it be down to Gage or someone else. As a medical professional, I would've expected some kind of attempt to figure out why she was that way. Instead you all left that girl to be abused for years, before it finally came to a head'

Rita had always tried to keep to herself and stay far away from the dealings of her superiors. She had never thought about the consequences of looking the other way; however, now that it was so blatantly pointed out to her, she felt tears well up in her eyes at the thought of that poor girl and what she must have gone through.

Gail sensed that she may have pushed her friend too far and placed a reassuring hand on her arm. 'You're just one person, I get that but everyone is accountable for what happened to that child, including me'

Rita attempted to fight back the tears; however, one got away from her and slowly trailed down her cheek. 'Why are you accountable? You weren't even here' she asked confused.

'I should've been...' Gail sighed, '...I was too consumed with my career and investigating my own parents deaths, that I didn't consider my family who were still alive'

Rita took a deep breath and attempted to pull herself together. 'What can I do?' she asked, wanting to help in any way she could.

'Yeah, what can she do love?' Lucas asked, leaning against the living room door with his arms folded over his chest. He had found out from Ben that Gail was paying Rita a visit and this change in tactic intrigued him.

Gail smiled at Rita reassuringly and signalled towards the kitchen. 'You can get me that recipe for your famous trifle that Ben keeps telling me about'

Rita tried to remain cool, then nodded and rushed to the kitchen. She had no desire to get dragged into whatever game these two were playing and she trusted Gail would keep her out of it.

Lucas watched as Rita rushed off, then approached Gail and took his son away from her. 'I think your Momma has been a bad girl, am I right?' he asked Luke sarcastically and smiled when his boy rested his head on his chest.

Gail watched Lucas carefully and considered her next move. 'I think your Daddy is paranoid due to a guilty conscience...I wonder if he has something to hide' Gail mocked, as she placed a soft kiss on Luke's head then started to gather up his things from the couch.

'I'm not the one tryin' to hide somethin' right now Darlin'' Lucas shook his head knowingly.

'No? How's Billy getting on with hiding Walter away from the world?' she asked sarcastically.

Lucas laughed and placed Luke gently down in his car seat, then grabbed Gail's arm and pushed her roughly against the wall. 'You don't think I'm used to your diversion tactics by now? Come on love, I know you're smarter than that'

Gail stared at him defiantly for a moment, then her eyes trailed to his lips and she ran her hands down his chest, then cupped his manhood gently. 'You don't think I know your diversion tactics by now Sheriff?' she asked teasingly.

Lucas inhaled deeply and attempted to push down the strong urge to take her. 'What could you want that pretty little red head to do for you Gail? She ain't got anythin' to do with Walter, which indicates you're followin' a different story'

'I have my hands in several different pots at any given moment Master Buck, maybe your old age is finally preventing you from keeping up' she mocked.

'Don't think I won't bend you over right here and give you a spankin' Miss Emory' he warned.

Gail smiled mischievously and cupped his manhood harder. 'I dare you Sheriff' she goaded.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes and sensed the mischief radiating off of her. Just as he was about to make good of his warning, he heard the front door slam shut and he placed a soft kiss on her lips. 'Next time Miss Emory' he smiled, then took a step away from her when Ben burst into the room.

Rita rushed out of the kitchen with Izzy and went to Ben's side. She had not known what to do, so she had called Ben hoping he was close.

Gail rolled her eyes at Rita's actions and went to Luke, then put his toys into her bag. 'I'm fine, the dramatics can stop now' she said, then winked at Lucas when she picked up Luke in his car seat and headed out of the house.

Ben watched her leave, then turned towards Rita. 'What did I miss?' he asked confused.

Rita stared at Lucas distrustfully, then shook her head and stormed up the stairs with Izzy.

Lucas laughed and approached his friend. 'It appears my innocent interaction with my other half was misconstrued...It might be worth you explainin' the concept of an overreaction to your partner friend' Lucas suggested and left Ben alone to figure out what had just happened.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb sat on his bicycle outside Abe's Antique Store, trying to pluck up the courage to go inside. Abe had told him that he was always welcome, being one of the family now and he did not understand why he was so worried about going in.

'Maybe that fiery young redhead has somethin' to do with it' Lucas suggested, as he approached his son. After his frustrating meeting with Gail, he decided that he wanted to spend some time with his eldest and he had sensed him hanging around outside his old friends Store.

'Go away...haven't you got somethin' you need to do with someone else?' Caleb asked irritated.

Lucas inhaled deeply to hide his frustration, then grabbed his son's arm and turned him around to face him. 'I don't need that attitude right now son, I get enough of these cryptic comments from your cousin. You wanna tell me what's wrong with you?'

Caleb was not in a good mood with Lucas, after he had been ditched with Abe the previous night and left to fend for himself this morning. 'Fine, you're always goin' on about family, but you only ever wanna spent time with me when you want somethin''

Lucas let go of Caleb's arm and laughed. 'I think you're mistakin' me for your cousin...' he started.

'She ain't my Momma...' Caleb snapped, '...You're my Daddy and I ain't heard nothin' from you since you dropped me off after school yesterday. You talk about us all bein' a family, but since Luke came along all you're doin' is fallin' all over my cousin. At least I know where I stand with Gail and she's not choosing a baby over me all the time'

Lucas felt his rage rising within him and regarded his boy angrily. He was about to answer the disrespectful comment, when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder and held his tongue.

'Now, now Caleb, it's my fault he was late last night and there was nothing stopping you waking us up before you left this morning...' Gail interrupted the exchange, sensing Lucas' anger when she pulled up at the Store. '...It's not as though he could interrupt your school day and he's been looking for you since you finished'

Caleb stared at his cousin in frustration, then his features softened. 'I just wanna be left alone' he advised her.

'Then why are you hanging around outside Abe's Store, when you know we all end up here at some point in the day?' Gail asked knowingly.

Lucas watched as Caleb looked at his feet embarrassed and decided this was his moment to step in. 'Go put your bike in my car carefully and we'll both go in together' he told him reassuringly and smiled when Caleb nodded in agreement, then headed towards his car.

Gail started to walk past Lucas; however, he grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him.

'You don't think I can handle talkin' to my son?' he asked irritated.

'I didn't think you'd want to accept the blame for choosing to take me instead of him this morning' she smiled teasingly, knowing he understood her meaning.

Lucas shook his head, then released her. 'Did you hear what he said?' he asked, with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

Gail sensed the regret in him and regarded him curiously, it was not something she had ever witnessed Lucas Buck displaying. Her darkness suddenly took hold and something strange came over her, it caused her to stroke his cheek reassuringly and kiss him tenderly. 'You've done all you can and you're not choosing one over the other...This weakness you're feeling, you need to get over it' she whispered, then saw something change in his eyes.

Weakness? Lucas had never been weak in his life and it was not something he would ever entertain, even when it came to family. He felt his usual confident way of being return and noted that she had put him back on the right path, even though they were battling at this moment in time. Lucas pulled her too him tight and kissed her forcefully, not caring who was watching. 'Point noted Miss Emory' he smiled, when she broke free of his embrace.

Gail let out a long sigh at her inability to allow him to experience a normal emotion and felt the urge to get away from him.

Caleb came back as Gail turned towards her car and started walking away. 'Hey! Weren't you comin' inside with us?' he asked confused.

Gail smiled reassuringly at Caleb and tried to avoid looking at Lucas. 'I was just passing...' she lied, '...Don't you be bothering that girl'

Caleb smiled at his cousins warning, then waved as she got in her car and drove off down the road. 'That was weird'

'Tell me about it' Lucas smiled, then placed his hand on his sons arm and led him into the Store.

* * *

Merlyn sat in the living room of her Mothers old work place in Goat Town, reading through her notes. After they had failed to convince Billy to allow them to talk to Walter Maine, she had asked Christie to drop her off here so she could rethink their options. This place had been a sanctuary for children and now it was her own private sanctuary, she loved the peacefulness that she experienced while she was here and it allowed her to brainstorm uninterrupted.

Merlyn had chosen to disregard everything she suspected relating to Lucas in this case and pondered over the lack of real evidence they had found. There were plenty of statements from residents within the town, who had known the Maine family and she was attempting to piece together some sort of theory as to why Walter took the actions he had. So far, they all said Walter was a jealous man and Betty liked to run around with other men. That appeared as good a motive as any she supposed.

'There were plenty of residents who claimed to know the Temple family too...' Gail said, as she quietly entered the room and read her mind. '...Most of them stated Gage Temple was a good, quiet family man who never gave anyone any trouble. Does that sound accurate to you?'

Merlyn was surprised to see her cousin here. She had been careful not discuss this case with her, as they were technically on opposite sides of the challenge; however, her words made her think. 'You don't think the statements are right?'

'I don't believe Gage Temple was a good family man, or that his awful actions against you were a fluke incident. Do you?' she asked, trying to open Merlyn's mind to the bigger picture.

'Well I know that ain't true, so your questions are pointless to me' Merlyn said and stood up.

'Good...so if people could have that false image of your father, I wonder what creative image they have of Walter and Betty?' Gail asked, as she paced around the room and admired her cousins attempts to clean this place up.

Merlyn thought for a moment, then watched her cousin suspiciously. 'You didn't come here to help me with this, what are you up to?'

'What did you witness?' Gail asked bluntly.

Merlyn's eyes opened wide and she turned away, to ensure her cousin did not catch her reaction. 'I see a lot of things, you'll need to be more specific'

Gail sighed, sensing Merlyn discomfort and looked out of the small window in the room. 'You've never talked about it, the abuse I mean...We've shared similar experiences you and I, but the difference is mt trauma didn't leave me without a voice at a young age'

Merlyn knew exactly what Gail was referring to, her cousin had never brought this up and it was worrying that this is where her focus was. Merlyn was aware she had been looking into her death and she had sworn to Lucas that she would not help either party; however, these questions did not relate to her death and she suspected her cousin could use her darkness to get to the truth if she desired. 'You've never wanted to talk of the abuse...' she started.

'And I don't now...' Gail interrupted, '...I want to know what you saw'

Gail had returned to Rita after she had seen Lucas at Abe's Antique Store, Caleb had always been the perfect distraction when she needed to do something privately and she loved her cousin for that. Rita had given her the information she needed to pin point approximately when Merlyn's episodes had started; however, she needed her cousin to confirm it herself.

Merlyn sensed Gail knew something and it made her uneasy. She had wanted someone to take an interest in her past and uncover the truth for so long; however, things were looking up for her now and she did not want to look back.

Gail let out a long sigh when Merlyn remained quiet and she started to become impatient. 'You were fine before Judith got pregnant and you weren't when you accompanied her to her Doctors appointments...I suspect what it was Merlyn, but I need you to say it'

'Why?!...' Merlyn snapped, '...You didn't care before, so why should I ponder to you now? You know this line of questionin' ain't safe Gail'

'You think I'm scared of him?' Gail laughed.

'You should be...' Merlyn warned, '...I appreciate what you're doin', I really do but the past is gone'

Gail could not believe the push back she was getting, Merlyn hated Lucas and it was out of character for her not to take up an opportunity to go against him. 'Are you scared? Is that it?' Gail asked in disbelief of what was happening.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head. 'I believe you and I can protect each other...the boys don't need protectin' and I have faith that Gideon would protect Rocky, but this is our family Gail. You made the choice to lie where you did and bein' stuck in the path is only gonna hurt our family'

A knock on the door caught both their attention and Christie entered smiling, holding lunch. 'Gail? If I'd known you'd be visiting I'd have gotten more chilli dogs'

Gail forced a smile for Christie, then approached Merlyn and leaned in close. 'This isn't over...the past isn't dead' she whispered and walked out of the house, giving Christie a hug as she passed.

* * *

Lucas sat with Abe behind the counter, as Caleb and Poppy swept the Store. It amused him that his boy was attempting to impress Poppy by halving her workload and it was nice to see he had finally discovered girls, even if the one he was taken with was a little too old for his liking.

'I remember when you used to follow that Teacher around like a little puppy...' Abe smiled as he recalled Lucas' first proper crush, '...What was her name? Angela?'

Lucas thought back to that time, he was not innocent even back then; however, he had been selective and had taken his time before choosing the more experienced woman to show him the ropes. 'Angela it was, she was somethin' else back then' he smiled, remembering their encounters.

Abe shook his head in mock scorn and patted his friend on the back. 'You were a devil even back then boy...What ever happened to that sweet piece after she got ran outta town by your Daddy?' Abe asked curiously.

A vision of Angela jumping out of the window Judith had at the hospital a few years back came to Lucas' mind and his smiled faded. 'Nothin' good' he said, ending the conversation there and continued watching Caleb.

Abe let out a long sigh and turned towards the children. 'Let's hope that one has more sense than you do...Challengin' a determined Reporter like Gail to uncover your secrets? What were you thinkin'? I mean Jesus Lucas, she's like a dog with a bone! What are you gonna do if she finds somethin'?'

Lucas laughed and shook his head. 'I can handle your Rosie ol' man, you need to focus more on yourself rather than worryin' about me'

'I'm not the one who's gonna get his hide handed to him if Rosie finds any real evidence...I really think you made a mistake with this one boy' he warned.

Lucas let out an exasperated breath and turned towards Abe. 'She ain't as good as she thinks...Besides, you're well aware of how deep I cover my tracks' Lucas smiled devilishly.

Abe regarded his friend with disappointment and shook his head. 'That fool Walter Maine got his young boy killed Lucas, does that mean anythin' to you?'

Lucas shrugged and turned his attention back to Caleb. 'That boy was stupid enough to go in the River after his Momma. Hell, it was just bad parentin' that got that boy killed'

Abe following Lucas' stare and saw Caleb laughing with Poppy, sometimes he wanted to beat some sense into his friend; however, this was just classic Lucas, reflecting the blame onto someone else. 'You better hope your boy is gettin' the parentin' he needs to survive this town then hadn't you?' Abe asked irritated, then stood up to stretch his legs.

Lucas watched as Abe headed towards his office and chose to let the comment go when Caleb came to sit in the old mans chair. 'You havin' fun son?'

'I am...' Caleb smiled towards Poppy, '...Why'd Abe leave?'

'Differences in opinion I suppose...' Lucas shrugged, then shot Poppy an admiring wink and smiled when she blushed. '...You think she wants to join us for dinner later?'

Caleb took a sharp intake of breath, he had just been wondering the same thing. 'I dunno, do you think Gail would mind? She doesn't like havin' other people but us at home'

Lucas' smile grew wider when Caleb referred to his house as home. 'It's about time that ol' cousin of yours got used to our livin' arrangements and having a friend over for dinner will help her transition...Why don't you go ask Poppy? She looks like she's waitin' on your to return' he shot him a knowing glance.

Caleb smiled with excitement and rushed towards Poppy. With any luck he could spend more time with her at home.

Lucas watched as Caleb rushed to his first crush and nodded appreciatively. After his momentary lapse of doubt in himself earlier, he had redeemed himself by assisting Caleb in getting closer to Poppy. Now all he needed to do was figure a way of preventing Gail's progress in her investigations and everything would then go his way.

* * *

Gail paced up and down the dreary corridor, waiting for Billy to make good on his word. She had waited until she was sure Lucas would not leave Caleb's side, then decided to pounce on Billy while his guard was down.

Billy had thought she had given up for the day; therefore, when she had stopped by just before his shift ended, he was taken off guard. It did not take her long to convince him that there was no help coming and he obediently took her down to where they were holding Walter. Gail did not know what she hoped to gain from this visit, she was just following her gut and talking to the man who had committed such an awful crime could only assist her investigation.

Billy exited the secure room, after warning Walter to keep his mouth shut and signaled for Gail to enter. He had attempted to reach Lucas when Gail had collared him; however, he was not at the office or answering his radio, so he had no choice but to allow this to play out. When Gail entered the room, Billy rushed down the corridor to attempt to reach Lucas again.

Gail sensed Billy's intended actions and knew she did not have much time; therefore, she did not hesitate to approach the criminal before her and pulled out her tape recorder. 'Did Doctor Peele advise you of who I am?' she asked.

'I know who you are. Gail Emory, Reporter and Mother of Lucas Bucks child' Walter spat out venomously.

Gail sensed the hatred in this man; however, she chose to ignore her usual innocent tactics and regarded him bluntly. 'You know who I am and who my family where. I assure you I have nothing to do with his dealings...Tell me about why you killed your wife. Did he make you do it?' she asked, unsure whether she truly wanted to know the answer.

'Make me? I wish I could have that as an excuse...' Walter laughed bitterly, '...This whole thing is tearing me apart'

Gail let out an unexpected sigh of relief, when he confirmed Lucas had not forced his actions; however, she did not trust that Lucas was not involved in some way. 'Why did you do it Walter? Getting it off your chest will make you feel better'

'I don't deserve to feel better, I deserve to rot like she is!' Walter snapped and punched the wall.

Gail felt her darkness close to the surface, ready to come out should Walters anger turn towards her. 'You deserve worse than that...' she said, changing her tactics again. '...You deserve eternal damnation for what you did to your boy...He was your son and whatever crazy thing drove you to hurt your wife, should have been forgotten when your son got involved'

Walter thought about his boys lifeless body each moment of every day and it was eating him alive. 'She was with other men...' he tried to reason.

'She wasn't...' Gail interrupted bluntly, '...She may have been out drinking, but she was devoted to you'

Walters features changed to confusion at her statement and he turned towards her. 'But he said...' he started, then closed his mouth and remembered what Doctor Peele had warned.

'He said what Walter? Did Lucas tell something which made you react how you did? It's alright, I can protect you but you need to tell me the truth' she said reassuringly, then stood up and placed a gentle hand on Walters arm.

'He said...'

'He said your times up Miss Emory, time to leave' Lucas ordered, appearing out of nowhere behind her and grabbing her arm.

Gail tried to pull free and looked towards Walter, willing him to complete his sentence. 'Tell me now or you'll experience pain like you've never known before' Gail warned in a tone unlike her own, then cursed out loud when Walter remained silent and Lucas pulled her out of the room.

'Wow, you're soundin' more and more like me everyday' Lucas laughed, as he dragged her down the corridor and away from Walter.

'You're a son of a bitch!' she snapped and pulled her arm free.

Lucas allowed her some space and shook his head. 'Trickin' Billy to allow you acces to the source is cheatin' Gail...Why so glum? Couldn't you find any actual evidence to condemn me?' he mocked smugly.

Gail was about to lose her temper fully, when she noticed he had dragged her back out into the reception area. She sensed the eyes on her and straightened her stance, in an attempt to appear professional.

'That's better, now why don't you save that anger for after dinner...We have guests tonight' he advised and led her out of Juniper House.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail stood at the front door to the Buck Mansion talking to Christie. Lucas had invited Abe, Christie, Merlyn and Poppy Bowen to join them for dinner and he had gotten his favourite restaurant to deliver some food to cater for their guests. Despite her reservations, Gail had enjoyed herself and she thought Christie appeared more relax around Lucas than usual.

Now that dinner was over, she was taking this opportunity to attempt to find out where her friend was up to with her story. 'Lucas actually said it was a Fulton County affair?...' she laughed at his arrogance, '...So, you couldn't get in to see Walter at all?'

Christie laughed and shook her head. 'Billy Peele is nearly as stubborn as you, the man shrugged off all my tricks with ease and even had me doubting the route I was taking'

'You sound impressed...Do I sense a little crush on the man of authority?' Gail smiled.

'That man of authority has a girlfriend' Christie advised, in mock scorn.

'I don't know, if you stick around for a while and play your cards right you never know what might happen' Gail joked.

'I hope you're not suggesting this lovely lady treads on another woman's shoes Miss Emory?' Lucas asked sarcastically, as he came behind Gail and put his arms around her waist possessively.

Gail rolled her eyes and instantly spotted Christie's discomfort. 'I suppose you better get your little one to bed' she said to her friend and nodded her authorisation for her to leave mid conversation.

Christie gave of a relieved smile and rushed down the path with Lucy, to get away from Lucas.

'See, that wasn't so bad' Lucas stated, as he tightened his grip around her and pulled her back into him.

Gail was still irritated that he had pulled her away from Walter and pushed his hands off of her. 'The next time you invite my friends to dinner, ask me first' she snapped, then went to Abe to help him out of the house.

Lucas had sensed she had enjoyed herself this evening and knew this was her stubborness shining though. 'Where are you goin'?' he asked, choosing to handle her carefully.

'Someone's got to take everyone home, I guess I'll start with him...Come on Uncle, I might even stay with you a little while' she smiled and started heading down the steps.

Abe shot Lucas an I told you so glance and allowed Gail to lead him to her car.

Lucas watched them in annoyance, then slammed the door shut.

'I guess you're in the dog house tonight' Merlyn mocked, amused.

'What is it Merlyn Ann, I ain't got the patience for your attitude as well' Lucas warned and walked past her towards his Study, where he had left Caleb and Poppy.

'You need to make time Lucas, unless you want my traumatic upbringin' publicised' Merlyn advised, then smiled sweetly when Lucas turned towards her.

Lucas regarded her suspiciously for a moment, then held out his hand to lead her away from Caleb and Poppy. Lucas still did not trust Merlyn; however, she was following him deeper into his property against her better judgement, therefore, he would behave and hear her out. When they reached the Library, Lucas signaled for Merlyn to enter and closed the door behind them.

Merlyn felt a shadow of threat flow through her and let off an involuntary shiver, she was not used to being here when Gail was not and she began to doubt her decision to stay. She looked around the room, in an attempt to distract herself and was taken aback by the amount of books that were in here. She had instantly taken to the Trinity Public Library; however, she suspected there were much older texts here and she could not hide her appreciation.

'It's a great collection isn't it?...' Lucas smiled, sensing her intrigue with the room. '...My family have been collectin' rare books for centuries and these are just the more common texts we've found along the way'

'There's more?' Merlyn asked in disbelief. This room was huge and filled with hundreds of book, it was hard to imagine what else he could have.

Lucas laughed and shook his head at her innocence. 'You think I'd keep the real important stuff in a room that your cousin has access to? Nah, there's a much bigger Library here that she ain't aware of'

Merlyn narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. 'Why would you trust me with this information? Surely you know I could easily tell her'

Lucas shrugged and signaled for Merlyn to sit at the table in the middle of the room. 'Oh that room is buried deep Merlyn Ann...With the goings on in this property, I'd love to see the intruder who finds it and comes back unscathed' he threatened casually.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and shook her head, she could sense the presence all around her. It was stronger the deeper she delved into this property and she had no desire to explore this evil place, or give Gail a reason to either. 'Point taken' she said and stared at the book left open on the table in front of her.

Lucas regarded Merlyn carefully, he did not know what to make of her change of attitude recently and decided he would monitor her closely. 'Pick it up...' he said, sensing her intrigued. '...Gail comes down here often, hoping to find some deep dark secret of mine and that's what's taken her fancy recently'

Merlyn pulled the book towards her and carefully closed it to inspect the cover, whilst keeping her finger on the page her cousin was up to. The book had a dark blue cover with no writing on it; however, there was a symbol that she was unfamiliar with. 'What is it?' she asked curiously.

'Witchcraft...' Lucas shrugged and watched her reaction closely, '...Well, an old text on the history of it anyway. I don't know why she's so interested in the subject these days, do you?'

Merlyn felt her cheeks blush under his curious gaze, she was fully aware of Gail's obsession with the abandoned Wicca Store in Goat Town; however, it was not her place to discuss that with anyone. 'She's lookin' into my life' she spat out, in an attempt to distract Lucas away from the current subject.

Lucas' features changed and he felt his rage begin to rise. 'Come again?' he asked with a hint of anger in his tone.

Merlyn took a deep breath and shook her head. 'She's diggin' into my past...when my lack of coherent communication started to be exact'

Lucas let out a long sigh and stood up. 'Is she lookin' into your death or Betty Maine's?' he asked sternly.

Merlyn could sense the rage radiating off of him and chose to remain honest. 'Both I suspect, but I'm with Christie most of the time so who knows'

'Yeah, she's got you squarely out of the way with that one hasn't she?' Lucas let out a frustrated laugh and shook his head.

'I have no desire for her to dig up my past, but I can't lie to her either Lucas. What you did was terrible and unforgivable, but...'

'You're ready to move on' Lucas finished her sentence.

Merlyn nodded and stood up. 'I've let it go, but I don't condone it...If she continues on this path she will find somethin' and I will not lie for you'

Lucas understood fully what Merlyn was hinting at. She would not volunteer the information like she once may have; however, if Gail dug deep enough, she would not deny the facts. He thought for a moment, then walked towards one of the bookcases. 'I acknowledge what you're doin' Merly Ann, as a token of my appreciation I want you to take this' he said and handed her a dark green book with no writing on the cover.

Merlyn looked at the book curiously and took it without hesitation. 'You trust me with this?'

'I trust you to handle it carefully and return it when you're done. Now come on, it's about time we got back to your brother' he ordered, then took her arm gently and led her back to his Study.

* * *

Gail had stayed with Abe for an hour, before she sent him to bed and started the drive back to the Buck Mansion. She had been annoyed at herself for snapping at Lucas and losing control of her emotions; however, Abe had calmed her right down and she was ready to put on her facade while the game continued.

As she turned into the driveway, she noticed the house was dark and there was a glow coming from the garden. When she exited the car, she followed the glow curiously and shook her head when she noticed a trail of candles leading to the back of the property. Gail thought about going inside for a moment, then let out a long sigh and following the warm glow around the back of the large house.

'You better have a good reason for luring me out in this cold' Gail called out, as she folded her arms over her chest in an attempt to generate some warmth.

Lucas watched from behind the large fountain, unfazed by the coldness of the evening. He wanted to steer her away from the children, to allow him to have a candid conversation; however, now that she had obediently followed his trail, his resolve began to falter and he crept around the fountain as she approached.

Gail noticed the candles stopped in front of the large fountain that she was so fond of. She had a plan for this part of the property, which she had not had time to execute due to the current state of affairs she was caught up in; however, that did not prevent her from admiring the untouched beauty of this area.

Lucas watched as Gail ran her fingers over the neglected fountain, then quietly came up behind her and gripped her hips tight. He smiled to himself when she gave off a small jump, then wrapped his arms around her stomach when she lay back into him.

Gail sensed Lucas was up to something and she was happy to play along, if it meant he would drop his guard. All she needed was a small opening and she would take advantage of it when the time came. 'Are you going to tell me what this is? I've had a long day and I'm not in the mood for your games' she said, as she lay further back into him.

Lucas inhaled her scent, then moved her hair away from her neck and nestled himself into it. 'You've been a bad girl Miss Emory, what am I to do with you?' he teased.

'In what way?' she asked sweetly, feigning ignorance.

Lucas laughed and shook his head knowingly. 'You think that girl wants to talk about her past? She was dead Gail and whatever you're doin' is just goin' to impact her progress'

Gail pulled away from Lucas' grasp and turned to face him. 'Oh, so you two are besties now?...' she asked sarcastically, '...How convenient'

Lucas stepped closer to her and sensed her mind working, he knew she was waiting for him to slip up and he was confident that would not happen. 'Me and Merlyn go back a long way...She may have trust issues, not unlike yourself, but she knows who to come to for help'

Gail smiled, then turned away and began walking deeper into the garden. When she reached the empty grave marked R.B, she stopped and turned back towards him. 'You think Rosemary trusted her lover? She was a smart, resourceful woman; however, her trust of the people closest to her blindsided her and resulted in her murder...You think I'm that stupid?'

'I think your past has caused you to seek out the bad, when you have good right in front of you' Lucas advised and took a few steps closer to her.

Gail could not hold in her laughter at his statement and shook her head in amusement. 'You're right in front of me Lucas, I know you can't seriously expect me to fall for that line...You may have somehow convinced Merlyn to soften to you, but that girl doesn't really trust you and neither do I'

Lucas could see the honesty of the statement in her eyes and for some reason the comment angered him. Lucas did not usually care about what people thought of him, as it took no effort to bend them to his will; however, Gail was the Mother of his child and at some point he would require her full trust.

Without thinking Lucas grabbed her arm and dragged her back towards the fountain, then bent her over and pulled down her pants to bind her legs into position. He stroked her bare behind gently, then spanked her hard before he freed his manhood and thrust it inside of her. 'You may not trust me Gail, but you crave me' he whispered in her ear, as he pounded in and out of her mercilessly.

Gail allowed him to take control, she knew that was what he truly wanted and giving him the sense that she was falling in line would lull him into a false sense of security. She gripped the fountain tight and tried to push down the pain, as he handled her roughly. She was not averse to this rough treatment and the pleasure always found it's way though in the end; therefore, she tried to relax and allowed him to fill her fully.

Lucas pushed his manhood deep, as he thrust in and out of her. He was surprised at her immediate acceptance of this dominance; however, the intense pleasure flowing through him took away his suspicious thoughts. When he sensed he was being too rough, he slowed his movements and stroked his hands up her back affectionately. 'Can't it just be like this Gail?' he panted and nipped at her neck playfully.

The familiar intense bursts of pleasure came with each thrust now and Gail leaned back into him, to allow him to enter her as far as he could. Her deep animal instinct had reared it's head and she was enjoying every ounce of him being inside of her. It took all of her focus to steady her mind and process his words. When she realised what he had asked of her she just laughed. 'If you wanted an unwavering obedience, you would've stayed with Selena' Gail panted, then smiled when he pulled her to a standing position and took hold of her cheek to turn her to face him.

Lucas slowed his movements considerably to allow himself to gaze into her eyes, then forced his lips onto hers for a passionate kiss. When she nipped at his lips playfully, he bent her back over and quickened his pace again. 'You forget how much I like my loyalty and Selena served me well for a long time' he goaded.

Gail closed her eyes, as his thrusts became more intense and called out when a burst of pleasure surged through her. 'She can't have been that loyal if you discarded her so easily...' she panted, '...Besides, if I wasn't loyal I'd have reported on your questionable ways by now and ran off with the children'

Lucas laughed and gripped her hips tight, he sensed their climax building and knew it would not be long now. 'If you tried to run off with my boy's I'd kill you instantly' he answered more honestly than he intended, then tangled his hand in her hair and pulled her head back towards him.

Gail opened her eyes at the threat and allowed him to bite her neck hard, as he exploded within her. She forced her fist into her mouth to stifle her yell as her climax came, then dropped her head down and tried to catch her breath. 'You think it would be that easy?' she asked, when he pulled out of her.

Lucas inhaled deeply in an attempt to get some air into his lungs, then turned her around and pulled her to a standing position to face him. 'If your actions were goin' to jeopardize my family, you'd leave me no choice but to retaliate' he warned.

Gail leaned back on the fountain and let out a long breath, then stared deep into his eyes. 'If you did anything to jeopardize my family, I'd have no choice but to take you down' she retorted.

Lucas let out a small laugh and stood over her dominantly. 'You're the one who's not playin' fair Gail...Pryin' into Merlyn Ann's death, it makes me wonder what you're hopin' to uncover'

Gail could see the bold smugness in his eyes, it made her want to slap him hard just because he thought he was untouchable; however, she knew there was a certain way she had to play this. 'My parents, Judith, Merlyn, Gage, Betty...You're the only one set to gain something from their deaths. Do you really think I only have my hands in two pots?' she mocked.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her in frustration, he had only thought she was looking into Merlyn and the Walter Maine incident; however, it appeared she had been keeping secrets. 'You think it's a good tactic showin' me all your cards Darlin'?'

Gail let out a small laugh, stroked his cheek tenderly and placed a soft kiss on his lips. 'You think that's all my cards Sheriff?' she asked amused.

Lucas placed his hands around her behind and pulled her in closer. 'You really think you're gonna outsmart me, don't you? I've been in this town a lot longer than you Miss Emory' he said charmingly.

'It appears the game's still on Master Buck, who knows what the next roll of the dice will bring' Gail teased, then freed herself from his grasp, pulled her pants up and started heading back to the front of the house.

Lucas watched as she left and bit his bottom lip in irritation, when he heard his fathers laughter from all around him. 'You keep outta this Malcolm, she's mine' Lucas warned, then started back towards the main area of his property.

-The End-


End file.
